1. Early Middle Ages 15-1

2. Early Middle Ages Geography
Europe is a large continent and very large peninsula made up of smaller peninsulas

3. Early Middle Ages Geography
Seas and rivers provide safety as well as opportunity for trade

4. Early Middle Ages
In Europe the kingdoms of the Ostrogoths and the Franks were the largest of the Germanic kingdoms.

5. Early Middle Ages
The English Channel provided safety for the people of Britain from the many land wars of Europe and were able to develop their own distinct way of life

6. Early Middle Ages
Europe has many mountain ranges which made it difficult for one group to rule over another

7. Early Middle Ages Germanic Kingdoms
After Rome fell Western Europe developed into many different kingdoms

8. Early Middle Ages Germanic Kingdoms
The Visigoths in Spain the Ostrogoths in Italy were close to the center of the old Roman Empire

9. Early Middle Ages Germanic Kingdoms
In Britain as Roman culture declined, the Roman Empire weakened.
Roman legions headed home to fight Germanic tribes
By 400 AD Rome had completely withdrawn from Britain p.5

10. Early Middle Ages Germanic Kingdoms
After the Romans pulled out of Britain, The Angles and the Saxons invaded Britain from Denmark Germany.

11. Early Middle Ages
The people that were displaced by the Angles and the Saxons were the Celts.
They fled North to the mountains and to Ireland.

12. Early Middle Ages Germanic Kingdoms
During the AD 400’s a Germanic people called the Franks settled the area which is now France.

13. Early Middle Ages Germanic Kingdoms
In 496 AD king Clovis of the Franks became Catholic and won the support of the Romans living in his country. Soon all of the Franks became Catholic. P.3

14. Early Middle Ages The Franks
After the death of Clovis, his sons divided the kingdom even more.
These kings fought over this land

15. Early Middle Ages The Franks
While these kings fought amongst themselves, nobles assumed more royal duties.

16. Early Middle Ages The Franks
The most important of these nobles were called “Mayors of the Palace.”
PPX 15-1A

17. Early Middle Ages The Franks
By 700 AD these Mayors were giving out land, settling disputes, and fighting their own wars p.5

18. Early Middle Ages The Franks
The most powerful Mayor was Charles Martel
Wanted to unite Frankish nobles

19. Early Middle Ages The Franks
The Catholic Church wanted restore order in the Western Roman Empire.
The church was willing to support a Germanic leader who was Catholic. P.3

20. Early Middle Ages The Franks
The Pope offered support for Charles Martel to lead the Empire.